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Committee backs hiring of engineer for parking lot

By Robert Sorrell

As the community gathered in a joyous ceremony to light the Christmas tree Tuesday evening, county commissioners and the mayor clashed inside the courthouse over the animal control officer and the jail parking lot.

The Carter County Budget Committee approved an engineer for the proposed parking lot at the Carter County Jail. Mayor Leon Humphrey had taken to issue to the last full commission meeting, but commissioners sent the proposal back to the Budget Committee for approval.

Humphrey said Tysinger, Hampton and Partners made a bid of $15,300 to do the engineering work for the parking lot, which will be on the site of the recently-removed jail pods. The mayor pointed out that the county had agreed with the city to remove the pods and build a parking lot in their place.